PCB Threatened To Boycott UAE Match After Media Manager Stopped From Attending Meeting With Match Referee: Report | Cricket News

Damning details continue to emerge from the handshake row with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) alleged to have threatened to pull out of their Asia Cup match against UAE after their media manager was barred from entering the meeting room where match referee Andy Pycroft meeting their officials in Dubai.

Demanding the immediate removal of Pycroft from the remainder of their Asia Cup matches, PCB delayed the departure of their team from the hotel for the UAE match earlier this week.

PCB had complained that Pycroft’s conduct during the India-Pakistan match at the Asia Cup was in breach of MCC rules. A meeting was held between the match referee, Mike Hesson, captain Salman Ali Agha, and manager Naveed Akram Cheema following which the match eventually went ahead after a delay of an hour.

PCB later released a video of the meeting and claimed that the referee has apologised and ICC has agreed to investigate his conduct.

Now, citing a source, news agency indicated that the PCB threatened to “withdraw” from the match if the media manager was not allowed to attend the meeting and then insisted on filming (without audio) the conversation, which was a “further violation of the PMOA regulations.”

The ICC was also not informed of how the PCB planned to use the filmed footage. The short clip has been circulating on social media with various speculations about what might have been discussed during the meeting.

The world body has also taken exception to a PCB media release that claimed Pycroft had “apologised”, when in fact he had merely expressed regret over a miscommunication.

PCB Defends Media Manager’s Presence

PCB has defended its media manager filming the meeting, claiming that the action was within ICC protocols.

“The team’s media manager is part of the squad and has authorised access to the PMOA. His presence there is not a violation,” a tournament source said, outlining the board’s response.

According to the PCB, existing protocols allow media managers to use cameras in the PMOA.

“If the Standard Operating Procedure was not followed, the ICC should check with the (match) referee on whether the matter was reported to the ACU,” the source added.

With PTI Inputs